Has anyone installed power steering?

[CNC_Geek]

I am building my 818 mostly for daily driving and some occasional autocross. Autoctoss for fun, not hard core winning. I am thinking that power steering would allow me to steer through the curves more easily. What has been your experience? Does anyone wish they had power steering? It means more work but I would like to get it right during the build rather than having to rebuild or modify it later.

[billjr212]

how aggressive of tires are you considering? on a typical summer tire at the FFR suggested width, it doesn't seem necessary. The front end is relatively light. In my small amount of driving around the block and moving the car around in the driveway and garage, steering effort is fairly light, even with a smaller than stock steering wheel.

[07FIREBLADE]

I'm on the fence with power steering. It would have been nice to add to my car for a few reasons the first being the relative ease of driving. The next being my car is being shared with my dad who is getting up there in years and and anything I can do to help him get in and out of the car as well as drive it is strongly considered.

After putting about 150 miles on my car I only find it really necessary getting in and out of my garage and the occasional parking lot. I haven't finished my car though so I might swap racks and add power steering. At the bare minimum though I am going to have the ac shop that I'm going to make me lines for the pump and run them so I can swap over when I choose. This might happen after my dads driven the car.

Main reason why I'm on the fence is the cost and the complexity it already adds to my build. I have limited space left in this car with an ac system and awic already taking up vital room.

[AZPete]

I have power steering in my 818S. When stopped or going very slowly it makes a big difference versus turning the wheel with the engine off. Is it essential? No. I can turn the wheel with the engine off without much trouble. My wife might not like it but she won't be driving it . . . ever. I have the FFR leather steering wheel, which is much smaller than stock. I don't autocross so don't know if it will matter there.

I added power steering to my 818 because the donor gave me almost everything for "free" - pump, reservoir & power rack. I bought hoses from a hydraulic shop that also crimped on the OE connections for me ($90). A few years ago I built an FFR roadster with PS and most don't have it. I saw some guys adding PS to their roadsters after driving a while. A third reason for adding PS was to see if I could do it. I've only driven my 818 a few miles so far but can say power steering is nice but not essential.

[CNC_Geek]

I have power steering in my 818S. When stopped or going very slowly it makes a big difference versus turning the wheel with the engine off. Is it essential? No. I can turn the wheel with the engine off without much trouble. My wife might not like it but she won't be driving it . . . ever. I have the FFR leather steering wheel, which is much smaller than stock. I don't autocross so don't know if it will matter there.

I added power steering to my 818 because the donor gave me almost everything for "free" - pump, reservoir & power rack. I bought hoses from a hydraulic shop that also crimped on the OE connections for me ($90). A few years ago I built an FFR roadster with PS and most don't have it. I saw some guys adding PS to their roadsters after driving a while. A third reason for adding PS was to see if I could do it. I've only driven my 818 a few miles so far but can say power steering is nice but not essential.

I have completed a (non FFR) '34 roadster. I built it with manual steering to get the project on the road. Now that I have 3000 miles on it I am adding power steering. I agree, the only time it is really nice to have is parking and very slow maneuvers. Since I need to turn my car around every time I pull into my driveway I'll be doing a lot of that. Like you said all the hardware is bought and paid for. Just need longer hoses. Thanks for the input.

[billjr212]

I have power steering in my 818S. When stopped or going very slowly it makes a big difference versus turning the wheel with the engine off. Is it essential? No. I can turn the wheel with the engine off without much trouble. My wife might not like it but she won't be driving it . . . ever. I have the FFR leather steering wheel, which is much smaller than stock.

To be clear, this is not a direct comparison since de-powering the rack involves removing seals and fluid that result in much of the resistance you are feeling with a powered rack when the engine is off.

I also had an ffr roadster prior to this, but without ps. Effort in the 818 is much lighter.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

With the front end being so lite on the 818, I don't feel power steering is necessary. Watch my son steering between the 24 to 30 second of this video.
We have 2.5* of caster and -2.5* on camber with 0 toe.

Edit: Our steering rack has not be modified.

Bob


https://youtu.be/yHojWKEQ89Q

[carrera1984]

Does anyone have any shots on the power steering routing of the lines? I want to put it in but seem to be missing my doner lines from the pump to the rack & reservoir as well as the reservoir.
https://www.google.com/search?q=wrx+power+steering+diagram&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiR8sfqlKXLAhUHKyYKHTO7DSgQ_AUIBygB&biw=1908&bih=949#imgrc=Yw4E1t7jyZ1xpM%3A
I got this image of the system but not sure on how big to make the lines as well. What diameter brake like have you guys used? I'm assuming that's what you've used. Am i wrong? Any notes on what to pay attention to?

[STiPWRD]

I've got these lines and reservoir from my 02 wrx in case anyone needs them.
5121251214

[AZPete]

The lines that STiWRD has look like what I used. I had to slightly bend the steel lines near where they connect to the rack and then took them to a hydraulic hose shop with the lengths I needed for each. I think I paid $90 for the new hoses with the donor ends, plus they copied the in-line restrictor. My PS lines run in the right side pod and I'm using the donor compressor. It works very well and certainly makes turning at slow speeds, like parking, easy.

[RetroRacing]

Dude, use an electric, way lighter, way easier and tunable. Not rocket science either.

[07FIREBLADE]

Problem is getting the electric system mounted up. If someone could come up with a simplified implementation of one I think more people would go done that route. Room is pretty tight on this car.

[CNC_Geek]

I did finish my power steering installation. I mounted the OEM reservoir on a spacer/bracket about 1.5" above the lower square tube of the passenger side firewall. This is lower than the pump inlet but the OEM location is also lower than the pump. I used the OEM fittings on the pump and had the hydraulic shop braze on a standard Hydraulic fitting for a disconnect location. From the output fitting I ran flexible hydraulic line to the vertical post of the firewall behind the passenger side sail. From this point I bent hard line to the front where it mates with a short piece of the oem hard line. I had the hyd. shop braze standard male fitting here then I flared the new hard line to mate up. The return line is one size larger using hard line from the PS unit, back to the vertical post of the firewall. Then a short piece of hose to the reservoir. The hard line is difficult to bend but it takes up less space, looks nicer, easily attaches to the frame, and may radiate heat better than running pressure hose all that distance. I have only made a few test trips on the street but I am already happy with the results.
NOTE: Something was mentioned about an in-line restricter. Where is this installed? Is it a simple orifice or some kind of pressure regulator? I did not see anything like this during my disassembly or installation.

[AZPete]

Regarding the "in-line restrictor", I'm not sure that's the correct name, but when I took my donor lines to the hydraulic shop, they pointed out a metal sleeve thingy on one of the hoses and asked if I needed it. I had no idea what it was and he explained that it was a restrictor and that if Subaru thought it was necessary, it's probably necessary. So, I said, "Sure, do it." The lines were from a 2006 WRX. That's all I know.